Warren, AR Wedding: Chris+Bethany

It may have been the middle of November, but the weather was beautiful for Chris and Bethany’s wedding day. Bethany and Chris didn’t want the normal wedding. Her wedding dress was a beautiful shade of maroon and the same with the tux that Chris had. The venue was a local church, but they didn’t want to have the ceremony inside. They opted for a spot outside under a beautiful oak tree. The sun was going down while the ceremony was taking place and the light was really good. It was a simple ceremony surrounded by family and friends and I am so glad I got to be apart of it.

Chris and Bethany, thank you for allowing me to caputre your life moment!

Til next time,

Do Well and Do Good,

J

El Dorado, AR Engagement Session: Chris+Bethany

I’ve know known Bethany a long time. We met when we were involved in the same church. But I hadn’t seen her in a while because of life. We all know how that goes. But thanks to the power of social media, I kind of got to keep up with her family. But recently I saw her again at another wedding I was shooting and found out she was going to be needing a wedding photographer also. So of course, I had to ask! Not long after she messaged me about my wedding packages and yada yada yada (inside joke for you Seinfeld fans) I get the pleasure of shooting her wedding. I met Chris for the first time at their contract meeting. Super nice guy and a perfect match for Bethany! And their little boy, Ezekiel, is absolutely the cutest!

Chris and Bethany, I had so much fun shooting you guys and I can’t wait until your wedding day!

Til Next Time

Do Well and Do Good

J

Hayes Maternity

Miracle. That’s the word that comes to mind with this blog post. Why? Because that’s exactly what baby Holden Silas is. He’s a miracle. Let me start a little farther back. Tracie and T.J. have been married around 14 years. Tracie is my best friend. A few years ago, I did a shoot with her and I called it “Twelve Years a Bride”. At the time she and T.J. didn’t have any children. It wasn’t because they didn’t want any. They have wanted children for 11 years. But there have been none. They, like many other couples in this world, have struggled with infertility. They have tried fertility drugs, IVF, and a couple of other options to help, but nothing ever did. It has been a long and heart breaking journey.
But there’s something that makes this post so much more special than anything I’ve ever posted. Earlier this year she and I were talking and she was telling me she felt bad. She started naming off the symptoms and in the back of my mind, I somehow knew. But I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to get her hopes up. In the meantime, she had been to the doctor to get a few tests run to make sure everything was okay. The doctor’s office called and let her know everything was normal. But God!!!
She got another call from the lab a little while later. They asked if she was driving and told her to pull over. She did and sure enough they ran a pregnancy test and it came back POSITIVE! Yep, you read that right. She found out that day that she and T.J. were expecting! When she called me and let me know, I may have cried as much as she was.
It was an honor to be asked to do this shoot and I CANNOT wait to hold Holden Silas. He doesn’t know how long we’ve all been waiting for him. He’s already so loved!

Til next time.

Do Well and Do Good

J

El Dorado, AR Wedding: Jacob+Jade

I think I need to warn you before you get to far into this post. This, is going to be a lengthy one. There were too many good images and I had a very hard time narrowing them down. I always do with weddings. Maybe it’s because weddings are my favorite event to photograph. Reguardless, there are a lot of images that you are going to get to see as you scroll. The venue for this wedding is beautiful! The Granite Club, also known as the McKinney-O’Conner House, is a 7500 square foot mansion that was built in the 1920’s oil boom. It’s got a plantation like feel and a victorian vibe. One of my top favorite venues for sure!

The day started like any other wedding day. I got there as Jade was getting her hair and make up finished. A few people from the wedding party were on the grounds. You could feel the excitement. Her colors were navy and pink they complimented each other very well. The air smelled of fresh flowers and Summer. Slowly the wedding party arrived and things really got going. There were boutonnieres of lavender and bouquets of roses and peonies. It was lovely . The atmosphere was laid back and relaxed.

I love the look on Mom’s face as her oldest daughter was being buttoned into her wedding gown.

This flower girl was so much fun.

Per usual, the groomsmen showed up ready to have a good time. It was a little rowdy, but all in fun and you could tell they were having a good time.

As the morning passed and everyone got closer to being completely ready, it was soon time for Jacob and Jade’s first look. One of my favorite parts of the day.

And then finally, ceremony time.

The reception was a blast. Great people and amazing food!

Jacob and Jade, I can’t say thank you enough for letting me be apart of your day! It was beautiful just like you!

Til next time,

Do Well and Do Good,

J

Hair & Make up:  Jordan Carter
Flowers:  Jason Roberson
Venue:  The Granite Club
Dress:  Low’s Bridal
Bridesmaid’s Dresses:  David’s Bridal
Catering:  Woods Catfish

Monticello, AR Maternity Session: Ross and Jammie

The weather was really nice the day I met Ross and Jammie for the first time. It was a bit overcast and not really hot. I had never met either one of them before, so I was just a little nervous.  But, I soon found out that we were going to get along great. They both seem to have the same sense of humor that I have and It was easy to make them laugh. And after the first Seinfeld reference was made, I definitely knew we were going to get along just fine. We were all cracking up by the time their session was over. They were very easy to work with and I feel like I got some amazing photos.

Ross and Jammie, thank you for letting me capture one of life’s milestones for you!

Til next time!

Do Well and Do Good

J

Baby Day: Grayson Blake Carter

I’ve always said that if I wasn’t a photographer, I would’ve been a labor and delivery nurse. Having the job of helping to bring babies into the world is at the top of my list of amazing professions. So when Kelly asked me to be in the room when she delivered Grayson, I was ecstatic! I had to keep myself from tearing up right there. As the last week of her pregnancy came around, I found myself carrying around my phone like a doctor that’s on call. It went everywhere with me. Finally I got THE text. Kelly visited her doctor and was going to be admitted to be induced. I got my stuff together and headed to the hospital. When I got there, things were going along nicely. Kelly was having contractions and definitely in pain. She labored into the night and the next day. After around 30 hours, her doctor decided it was time for a c-section. Everything went very smoothly and baby Grayson got here without any problems. He was a healthy 7lbs 15oz. Aside from my own childrens’ birth, it was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. I was snapping photos and crying at the same time. I will never, EVER, forget my first labor and delivery session.

Kelly and Bradley, God has blessed you with the most precious baby and he is beautiful. It’s gonna be so much fun getting to watch Grayson grow up!

Till next time.

Do Well and Do Good,

J

Warren, AR Family Session: #TeamLandon

We all know that life can be tough. It can be mean and it can be downright unfair. Things often happen that we don’t understand. Bad things that happen to good people. When a child is involved, it makes it that much more terrible. I know…that’s probably got to be the worst opening to a blog post I’ve ever written. But stick with me. I’m going somewhere with it. Not long ago, I was scrolling on Facebook and came across some news that stopped me right there and took my breath away. My friend Britny, had received news that her son, Landon, had been diagnosed with Lukemia. I sat at my computer and cried…and cried and cried. Landon isn’t even ten years old. His life is just starting. Immediately I started praying life over their situation and over Landon. I started thanking God for Landon’s healing. I started praying for peace for the Duncan family. Before this, Lukemia was one of those things that happened to families far away, that I didn’t know. I know it happens everyday and we all know someone who has received that same diagnoses, but for me this was a first. Our community rallied around Taylor, Britny, Landon, and Cash. People started doing what they could for this small family. They started helping out in all ways. Britny has been keeping us all updated on Landon. And let me tell you, prayer works! After getting the initial bad news, she got good news that things were shrinking and going away. I’m not up all of the techinal terms, so I won’t try to use and medical jargon. I just want to add that Landon is an amazing kid!! The day of our shoot, he was up for it. He didn’t complain and he kept smiling. He loves to be outside and he loves to shoot his guns. When I walked in, he was sitting on the couch getting his shoes on. Somehow he and I got on the subject of things that he likes to do. Right away he started telling me about his guns, and showing me some bullets he has, and how he loves to shoot them. He smiled the whole time. It is one of the sweetest smiles too.

Taylor and Britny, thank you for asking me to come into your home and your lives. I enjoyed spending time with you guys and I am especially thankful that my path has crossed with Landon’s. He is strong, loving, and unforgettable. Landon, I can’t wait to see you kick the crap out of cancer!!!

Til next time.

Do Well and Do Good

J

Warren Family Session: Gorman Family

I love getting to meet new families. It’s one of the highlights of my job. I recieved a message from Stacey right before Christmas about getting some photos for her daughter who was turning one. But also doing a few family shots. We decided to wait until after the New Year due to busy schedules. New Year’s came and went and it was time for Stacey and Brandon’s session. They attend one of the local churches in my town, so they had met a couple of my kiddos. And as soon as I met both of them, I felt like I had already known them. The day of the shoot, it was chilly and cloudy and it threatened to rain. We decided to go ahead and see what we could get. Let me tell you we had to work quick. It sprinkled on and off and after about ten minutes of trying, we all thought it would be best if we tried again the next day. I met them at their house and the weather was perfect. I got some great shots. The kids were a dream to work with and it was so much fun. They both kept me laughing. I am thankful that it worked out the way it did and greatful that I got to meet such a fun family.

Brandon, Stacey, Grayson, and Landry, thank you so much for allowing me to capture your beautiful family. It was an honor and I hope our paths cross again in the future.

If you look close, you can see sprinkles of rain in the background of the kids photo

Til next time.

Do Well and Do Good

J

Warren Family Session: Cathey Family

I have four children. Saying that my house is busy is an understatement. Three of my children are boys, so I can heavily identify with this family. Meet the Cathey family. I’ve posted about them before, but it wasn’t the whole family. This time everyone got in on the action. I had such a good time with them. The boys are a hoot! Joey and Cassidy have a beautiful house, so it wasn’t even a question if I was going to use it in the background. Before I got there, I knew I would. There were a couple of Bradford Pear trees starting to turn and they were a lovely Ombre’. Then, as we were finishing up, Cassidy suggested the pond out beside their house. It was ideal. As we drove through the trees, the pond came into view and it looked like a mirror. The water was absolutely still and it was a sublime backdrop. We didn’t drive very far before I figured out exactly which spot I would use. It couldn’t have been any better if I had walked out there a few hours in advance and planned it.

Joey and Cassidy, thank you for allowing me to capture your family! It was an honor!

Til next time.

Do Well and Do Good

J

Warren Family Session: Clark Family

First I had the pleasure of shooting Justin and Selena’s engagement, and then thier wedding. Last week Selena wrote me on Facebook and asked me to book a family session for them. We met on the 3rd and got it done. It’s always fun when I do any photos with this family. Ace is a ball of energy and I mean that in a good way. He kept me on my toes, but was very compliant and gave me a great smile. It was easy to make him laugh. And then there’s Baby Ali, who will be here very, very soon. I think Selena has around 10 weeks left. She is a beautiful pregnant person. She glows with happiness and excitement. The Clark family is a great family and I am honored to know them. I can’t wait to meet Baby Ali when she gets here.

Until next time

Do Well and Do Good

J